Agenda item

The Head of Business Performance introduced the report setting out progress delivering on recommendations from a previous scrutiny review by the Corporate, Finance and Property Select Committee in 2021, adopted by Cabinet. The previous committee’s review had been on how the Council processes, reports and makes use of data. Going through the individual recommendations, it was noted that:

On performance reporting to the Corporate Management Team (CMT) and Cabinet Members, progress had been made, with a regular report to CMT, but the metrics reported would vary due to priorities or pressures that emerge mid-year, for example recently introduced were performance data on mould within council housing properties following the review into the tragic death of Awaab Ishak.

It was further noted that KPIs and metrics would be evaluated further in light of the new Council Strategy adopted in 2022 to ensure both Councillor and residents can measure progress on the Council’s priorities. Cabinet Members would be signing off the metrics reported to them via their Directors, such as around social care or complaints and Members’ Enquiries.

The Head of Business Performance made mention of the significant amount of data that could be reported upwards, but that there was need to ensure the right ones were selected for quality assurance purposes, statutory returns such as to the Department for Education, but also to ensure benchmarking with other local authorities, such as using the housemark initiative, so the Council could measure its performance amongst peers. Furthermore, an additional piece of work was to look at performance data in terms of inspection outcomes, such as those by Ofsted and Youth Justice Board.

With respect to another recommendation from the review around select committee reporting, it was explained that this would take place with high-level updates reflecting the committees’ terms of references, but that progress had been delayed due to the adoption of the Council Strategy. It was advised that work would take place with select committees to ensure KPIs presented to them were relevant and aligned to the reporting to Cabinet portfolios.

On the recommendation around performance culture, it was explained that there was a lot of work being done with services to improve data quality and to be proactive in ensuring they enter information in the right way. Workshops and training sessions were being held along with regular meetings with senior management teams.

The Chairman remarked how the right data can help support and direct organisations. An example of this was given by the Head of Performance relating to where schools often struggle with their data input, which in turn has impacted on the number of children becoming eligible for free school meals. Therefore, it was noted the service was proactively working with Headteachers on such matters.

On the final recommendation around performance innovation, the Head of Business Performance noted that the Council was a little behind the curve in terms of the performance tools that were being deployed, but that he had taken a paper to Corporate Management Team on options to further develop technology in this area, in conjunction with the ICT Department.

The Chairman thanked the Head of Business Performance for attending.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee noted the progress made and the work that was outstanding.